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MICR Code Finder & Decoder

Decode any 9-digit MICR code into city, bank and branch components. Or enter an IFSC to fetch the corresponding MICR number.

Found at the bottom of cheques. Format: 9 digits = City (3) + Bank (3) + Branch (3).

MICR Code Structure

Digits 1–3 - City

Aligned with the city PIN code's first three digits - 110 = Delhi, 400 = Mumbai, 560 = Bangalore, 600 = Chennai, 700 = Kolkata.

Digits 4–6 - Bank

Bank identifier within RBI's network - every bank has a fixed 3-digit code regardless of branch.

Digits 7–9 - Branch

Specific branch within that bank - sortable and unique within the city/bank combination.

MICR Code Finder - Bank Branch Lookup India

MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, a technology developed in the 1950s by the American Bankers Association and adopted globally for cheque processing. In India, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced MICR-based cheque clearing in 1986, starting with Mumbai. The RBI's National Automated Clearing House (NACH) now processes over 100 million MICR cheques monthly. Every Indian bank branch that participates in cheque clearing has a unique 9-digit MICR code printed in magnetic ink at the bottom of every cheque leaf.

How to Read a MICR Code

The 9-digit MICR code is structured as: first 3 digits represent the city (e.g., 400 for Mumbai, 110 for Delhi, 600 for Chennai), the next 3 digits identify the bank (SBI is 002, HDFC is 240, ICICI is 229), and the last 3 digits specify the exact branch. This structure allows high-speed cheque sorting machines to process thousands of cheques per hour without human intervention. MICR codes are also required when setting up NACH mandates for SIP, insurance premiums, and EMI auto-debits.

MICR vs IFSC

While IFSC codes are used for electronic fund transfers (NEFT, RTGS, IMPS), MICR codes are specifically for physical cheque processing. Both codes can identify the same branch. This tool lets you look up a MICR code by entering an IFSC code, which is useful when filling cheque-based ECS mandates that require both codes simultaneously.

MICR Code Questions

MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) is a 9-digit code printed at the bottom of bank cheques in special magnetic ink readable by automated cheque processing machines. The 9 digits represent: city code (3 digits) aligned with the city's PIN code prefix (110 = Delhi, 400 = Mumbai, 560 = Bangalore) + bank code (3 digits) + branch code (3 digits). The MICR line is the row of numbers at the very bottom of the cheque, separated by special symbols (⑆⑈).

Each code serves a different payment system: MICR (9 digits) is for automated physical cheque clearing by machines in clearing houses. IFSC (11 characters) is for electronic fund transfers (NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, UPI). Account number identifies the specific customer account. A cheque contains all three because physical cheques use MICR clearing while the same branch also participates in digital payment systems - they are complementary, not redundant.

No. MICR codes are only assigned to branches that participate in cheque clearing through the National Clearing System. Branches that exclusively offer NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/UPI without issuing physical cheques may not have a MICR code - these show as blank or 'N/A' in lookup results. Urban and semi-urban branches typically have MICR codes; some rural Business Correspondent (BC) points or payment bank outlets may only have IFSC codes. The RBI maintains the authoritative MICR register.

MICR city codes are aligned with the first 3 digits of the city's PIN code: 110 = Delhi, 400 = Mumbai, 411 = Pune, 500 = Hyderabad, 560 = Bangalore, 600 = Chennai, 700 = Kolkata, 695 = Thiruvananthapuram, 160 = Chandigarh, 141 = Ludhiana. The same city code applies regardless of which bank or branch is within that city. This alignment helps route physical cheques geographically through the clearing system.

When banks merge (as happened when several PSU banks merged with SBI, or Lakshmi Vilas Bank was acquired by DBS), MICR codes of the absorbed banks are retired or reassigned. Cheque books issued before the merger typically remain valid for a transition period of 6–12 months, after which customers must get new cheque books from the acquirer bank. New cheques carry updated MICR, IFSC and bank name. Always verify with your branch if you have pre-merger cheque books from recently merged entities.
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